Harm's WayPosthuman

Whether it's incorporating elements of industrial and nu metal, or shifting their focus from jokey power violence to brutal metallic hardcore, Chicago's Harm's Way have been evolving and perfecting their sound with each consecutive release. Four albums and multiple EPs later, the band continue to refine their sound with their latest album, Posthuman, surpassing all of their previous work.

The record begins with a pummelling beatdown of grinding guitar chugs and breakdowns on tracks such as "Last Man" and "Human Carrying Capacity," which also feature short industrial breaks in the vein of early Slipknot. On their last record, Rust, Harm's Way focused more on writing slower, industrial-influenced metallic hardcore, but on Posthuman, the band find a nice middle ground between their new style and older sound. Tracks such as "Become a Machine" and "Sink" flit between full-bore aggression and jaw-dropping breakdowns without feeling heavy for the sake of it.

In the last few years, a substantial number of hardcore acts have been adopting nu metal influences with mixed results, but Harm's Way have managed to tastefully incorporate a groove element into their music. Songs such as "Unreality" and "Dissect Me" intertwine classic nu metal elements with hardcore while avoiding sounding gimmicky or nostalgic.

With Posthuman, Harm's Way expands on their experimentation in other genres without sacrificing quality along the way. Overall, the record is an impressive display of brute force that keeps its momentum up from beginning to end.
(Metal Blade)